Over the last 20 years, the US industrial sector has increasingly relied on universities to undertake some of the basic research that spawns breakthrough products of the future - research that companies are either not equipped to undertake themselves or are not able to fund internally with their focus on near term technology and product development that affects the bottom line. At the same time, US universities have ramped up their programs to commercialize university generated technologies to the greater impact of society.

Robust university / industry collaboration programs include a multitude of engagement mechanisms ranging from Industrial Advisory Boards which guide university research and educational efforts at various levels to sponsored and collaborative research and technology licensing and commercialization. These programs are most productive when the university and industry partners understand each other's cultural differences, key motivators, and other critical factors affecting the collaborative environment. Erik Sander will discuss how the University of Florida has built synergistic industrial collaboration programs including technology commercialization, industrial guidance, and entrepreneurship/company spin-out programs to best serve myriad industrial partners.